1:45 pm – There is a wildfire 6 miles south of Pinnacles on Highway 25.
From IC: Approx 40 acres & holding. Should be able to handle with additional eng. enroute and be able to get around most of it with bulldozer. May reduce crew needs from 2 to 1.
Category: 2013 Fire Season
Fourth of July in the Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres Urges Fourth of July Visitors to Exercise Caution
GOLETA, CA…Los Padres National Forest officials are reminding Fourth of July visitors that the possession or use of fireworks—including the “safe and sane” variety—is strictly prohibited in the forest at all times. Rangers and law enforcement officers patrolling the forest will be strictly enforcing the ban on July 4 and throughout the long weekend.
With the forest in Level III Fire Restrictions, recreational target shooting is also prohibited unless specifically authorized under a special use permit. Under current fire restrictions, campfires are permitted in Campfire Use Sites only. Campfires must be attended at all times by a responsible adult with a shovel and adequate supply of water to douse the fire. Forest officials strongly encourage visitors to take into account local weather conditions when deciding whether to have a campfire. A cooking fire within a day-use site on the Santa Barbara Ranger District caused the White Fire on Memorial Day when variable winds increased and pushed embers from the barbeque into nearby dry grass.
“We all have a responsibility when visiting the forest to take the appropriate steps to avoid a wildfire,” said Los Padres Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez. “This year has been extremely dry, and with hot temperatures in the forecast it is prudent to consider leaving the campfires for another time.”
Lanterns and portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are permitted outside of Campfire Use Sites, but only with a valid California Campfire Permit. Permits are available free-of-charge at any Forest Service office or online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf . All flammable materials within a distance of five feet from camp stoves must be cleared and a responsible person with a shovel must attend the stove at all times while it is in use.
Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the national forest except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated Campfire Use Site. Operating internal or external combustion engines requires a properly installed spark arrester, maintained. Avoid parking vehicles on grass as hot engines can ignite dry vegetation.
Know Before You Go by contacting the nearest Ranger Station for the latest conditions and updates.
Weather, 7/2/13
The Bay Area NWS modified today’s forecast to include a slight possibility of rain, which i noted on twitter. I don’t know why I was up at 5:30, but I happened to glance out my window westward several minutes later (7 or 8) and saw what I thought was two lightning strikes. Then I thought I was hallucinating, but I tweeted Bay Area NWS anyway, and they said:
NWSBayArea
@NWSBayArea
@bigsurkate Our lightning detection network just showed two strikes off the Big Sur Coast.. You’re not imagining.
Later, NWSBayArea said they were about 60 miles out.
Yesterday at 9:00 am, the outside temp recorded as 105 F. Last night it got below 85 for the first time since Friday – a cool 82. Needless-to-say, sleep is a hard commodity to come by.
19 Firefighters lost in AZ
LODD-
Our thoughts and prayers are with family, friends, and co-workers.
Wildland firefighter foundation (click link to be taken there, and make a donation in memory of this hotshot crew)
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a nonprofit organization, provides emergency financial assistance to the families of fallen firefighters, and helps support their young children. Families left behind often find themselves with few resources, and the Foundation steps in to help.
This wonderful organization was already on top of getting to the families of these fallen firefighters. The foundation is short on funds, especially for this many firefighters, so put out a call to all firefighters to donate. You don’t have to be a firefighter to donate.
Wildfires/Medical Aid
1:30 pm – I love our neighborhood and my neighbors. I haven’t been watching LPNF WildCAD, but a neighbor has. He called me (thank you, very much) to ask me to look out my window to Prewitt to see what was going on and if I could see smoke. I couldn’t. Abandoned campfires are now called in as Wildfires. I would have remained blissfully unaware, being deep into a book to avoid this heat, so thank you, sir. You know who you are. I will continue to pay attention, and if there is any change, I will post it here.
BTW, I count on all my neighbors and friends to let me know about these kinds of things. I am only one person – who doesn’t do heat well, so needs all the help I can get!
This is WildCAD, LPNF:
06/30/2013 12:56 LPF-1931 (New) Medical Aid PREWITT RDG & CG M . BC12LPF E16LPF 4X4 E17LPF PAT19ALPF . . .
06/30/2013 12:39 LPF-1930 (New) Medical Aid Pine Canyon Sta . E43LPF . . .
06/30/2013 12:21 LPF-1929 (New) Wildfire PREWITT RDG & CG M . . . . .
06/30/2013 12:18 LPF-1927 (New) Wildfire Nac/ferg cyn . . . . .
Structure Fire in Cambria & Wildfire SE of King City
See update from the Cambrian in the comments below.
(Blue Whale Inn and not attic, as originally thought. But utility closet)
A fire in the attic of the Cambria Inn on Moonstone Beach was contained by Cal Fire in the last hour (3:30 pm).
A wildfire off 198 SE Of King City was attacked at the same time with SLO sending two engines and a dozer as well as air attack to assist Monterey County. As of 3:30 pm, Forward rate has stopped at 80 acres 60% contained.
With these soaring temps being so widespread, fires are bound to be a problem on the Cental Coast and elsewhere in the state.
Heat Wave
Much of the state and the southwest is on alert for an extensive heat wave through the weekend and early next week. In the mountains of Big Sur, we are expecting 105-110 degrees. I went to Cambria today, for Farmer’s Market and heat relief. Monday I’ll be going to the vet in Morro Bay to get Gideon his summer haircut. Saturday and Sunday, I’ll be busy taking cold showers every 1/2 hour.
The weekend is the Nac music festival where it will be over 100 each day. There is a large pond for swimming, and I imagine it will get lots of use.
Okay, I’ll be back in a few days, after I’ve melted.
What kind of idiot …
… Leaves an illegal campfire in the middle of the wilderness unattended? These surfer dudes and/or dudettes. Campfires have been prohibited for WEEKS!
On my way home Thursday night June 20, I found an unattended fire with flames about a foot high in an undeveloped campsite. Tents, chairs, ice chests, truck, surfboards, skateboards, campfire, but no people. I was fit to be tied. Pulled in, honked, got out, yelled, no one. I went into their ice chest, grabbed handfuls of ice and dumped it on the fire. Found a 16 oz water bottle, dumped that on the fire, found a baking sheet, used that as a makeshift shovel, and covered the fire with dirt. Flames out, but still smoking. Got to cell phone signal, called USFS PV Station. (Closed, but I have a home phone number) told them, and they promised to go up and make sure it was completely out. The campers had a big stack of firewood back behind a log, hidden from view. I grabbed piece after piece and threw it over the edge. Only got about a quarter of it. I felt like throwing it at their tent to be honest. Also felt like using the skateboards as shovels, rather than the baking sheet. I do not suffer fools gladly.
This is what I saw
This is a Volkswagon truck, which I had never heard of, at least that is what the tailgate said
Wild land Fire Training at Ft Hunter Liggett
From the Salinas Californian:
Monterey County firefighters will participate June 17, 19 and 21 at Fort Hunter Liggett to learn how to fight wildland fires – and at the same time help the Fort Hunter Liggett Fire Department with control burns.
The Monterey County Fire Training Officers Association, in conjunction with the Fort Hunter Liggett Fire Department, will host this year’s wildland firefighting training exercises for local fire agencies.
The training exercises are expected to draw more than 100 firefighters from several fire agencies in Monterey County.
The Monterey County Fire Training Officers Association offers the training exercises at no cost to local fire agencies.
Branch Fire, SLO Co.
8:00 pm – 300-400 acres
7:00 pm – 150 acres
6:15 pm – update from A/A 07…..25 to 30 rapid rate of spread in grass an brush heading south….Forest service is sending equipment in also
6:00 pm – There is a new start at Branch Mountain Rd and Highway 58. It is 10-20 acres with the potential to go large. These resources are on their way …B3415, A/A 07, T 74, E43, 4694, 3460, 3476, 3466, 3472, med engine 40, D 3442, WT 43, Cuesta 1,2, an 3. Also heard a request for two more tankers.
Meanwhile, the Powerhouse Fire in So Cal near Lake Hughes just icecapped. That means there was a blow-up, in heavy brush. Icecapping is quite a sight, and once you’ve seen it, you will never forget. I have seen it up here. Major evacuations going on there. This fire started yesterday, but got a major push due to heat, low humidity and winds.
Here is what ice capping looks like. See that white cloud-like fluff?
